|
Intervention Description
Intervention Package Information
Evaluation Study and Results
References and Contact Information
Intervention Description
Target Population
Inner-city African American male adolescents
Goals of Intervention
- Increase knowledge and reduce
positive attitudes and intentions
regarding risky sexual behavior
- Eliminate or reduce sex risk
behaviors
Brief Description
Be Proud! Be Responsible! is a small group skills building and motivational intervention to increase knowledge of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and to reduce positive
attitudes and intentions toward risky sexual behaviors among African-American male adolescents. The intervention consists of one 5-hour session delivered to groups of 5-6 males. The intervention includes facts about HIV/AIDS and risks associated with intravenous drug use and sex behaviors; clarifies myths about HIV; and helps adolescents realize their vulnerability to AIDS and STDs. Videos, games, exercises, and other culturally and developmentally appropriate materials are used to reinforce learning and build a sense of pride and responsibility in reducing HIV risk. Adolescents also engage in role-playing situations to practice implementing abstinence and other safer sex practices, including practicing condom use skills. |
Theoretic Basis
- Social Cognitive Theory
- Theory of Reasoned Action
- Theory of Planned Behavior
Intervention Duration
One 5-hour session
Intervention Settings
Local community building
Deliverer
African-American men and women with backgrounds in human sexuality, education, nursing, social work, and small group facilitation. All facilitators had at least a 4-year college degree.
Delivery Methods
- Exercises
- Games
- Group Discussion
- Lectures
- Practice
- Role play
- Video
Go to top
Intervention Package Information
An intervention package is currently available from
Select Media
Go to top
Evaluation Study and Results
The original evaluation was conducted in Philadelphia, PA between 1988 and 1989.
Key Intervention Effects
- Reduced risky sex
- Reduced number of sex partners
- Reduced unprotected sex
- Reduced anal sex
- Increased condom use
Study Sample
The baseline study sample of 157 adolescents is characterized by:
- 100% African American
- 100% Male
- 98% heterosexual, 2%
homosexual/bisexual
- Mean age of 15 years
- 97% enrolled in high school
Recruitment Settings
Local outpatient medical clinic, high school, and YMCA
Eligibility Criteria
Participants were eligible if they were
African-American male adolescents
Assignment Method
Adolescents
(N = 157) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2
groups: Be Proud! Be Responsible! (n = 85)
or Career-opportunities comparison (n = 72).
Comparison Group
The
career-opportunities comparison intervention
addressed career planning and opportunities.
This intervention was delivered in a single
5-hour session; included small group
discussions, exercises, games, and videos;
and was facilitated by African-American
adults.
Relevant Outcomes Measured and Follow-up Time
- Sex behaviors during past 3 months
(including number of days respondent had
sex, number of sex partners, number of
sex partners involved with other men,
and occurrence of anal sex) were
measured at the 3-month follow-up. A
risky sexual behavior scale was
calculated by combining all sexual risk
behavior measures.
- Condom use during past 3 months
(including frequency of condom use scale
and number of days of not using a condom
during coitus) were measured at the
3-month follow-up.
Participant Retention
- Be Proud! Be Responsible!
98% retained at 3 months
- Career-opportunities comparison:
93% retained at 3 months
Significant Findings
- At the 3-month follow-up,
adolescents in the intervention group
reported significantly less risky sexual
behavior (using the combined scale, p <
.01) and fewer number of female sex
partners (p < .003) than adolescents in
the comparison group.
- At the 3-month follow-up,
adolescents in the intervention group
reported a significantly fewer days of
having sex (p < .008), fewer female sex
partners involved with other men (p <
.05), and fewer days not using a condom
during sex (p < .003). In addition,
adolescents in the intervention group
were significantly less likely to report
engaging in heterosexual anal sex (p <
.02) than adolescents in the comparison
group at the 3-month follow-up. (While
the above findings meet best evidence,
these findings meet the
promising-evidence criteria.)
Considerations
- The adolescents in the intervention
group reported significantly higher
rates of condom use than those in the
comparison group at the 3-month
follow-up, however, the sample size was
too small for this outcome to meet
best-evidence or promising-evidence
criteria.
- The 3-month follow-up data revealed
that the intervention effect was greater
with a female facilitator than a male
facilitator for four of the six outcomes
reported above (all p’s < .05).
Go to top
References and Contact Information
- Jemmott, J.B. III, Jemmott, L.S., & Fong, G.T. (1992). Reductions in HIV risk-associated sexual behaviors among Black male adolescents: Effects of an AIDS prevention intervention. American Journal of Public Health, 82, 372-377.
- Jemmott, J.B. III, & Jemmott, L.S. (1996). Strategies to reduce the risk of HIV infection, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy among African American adolescents. In Resnick, R. J. & Rozensky, R. H. (Eds.), Health psychology through the life span: Practice and research opportunities (pp. 395-422). Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Researcher: Dr. John B. Jemmott III, University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communication, 3535 Market Street, Suite 520, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309. email: jjemmott@asc.upenn.edu
Go to top
|
=
Link to a PDF document
